


Just say something

by sarcasmismyweapon



Series: Learning Curve [26]
Category: Naruto
Genre: 2nd anniversary fic, 2ndanniversaryfic, Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Anbu Namiashi Raidou, Cute, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Gift Work, Izumo has a crush, Life lessons fic, LifeLessonsfic, Relationship Advice, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-24 00:09:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20017036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcasmismyweapon/pseuds/sarcasmismyweapon
Summary: Life Lessons ficIzumo's been acting oddly lately but he refuses to say anything, not even to Kotetsu. Worried for his friend, Kotetsu tries to get to the bottom of things with little result to show for it. Cue an Anbu with little morals when digging for answers and walla, an answer is found, though it wasn't what any of them thought it would be.





	Just say something

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TsubasaHimeChan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TsubasaHimeChan/gifts).



> We've made it to two years on the main story, TWO YEARS! The official anniversary is the 30th but I'll be at a client's house with spotty wifi so I figured it was best to post things now. Many thanks to those who participated in the 2nd-anniversary quiz and I hope you all enjoy the fics for this years anniversary.

Izumo had been acting weird, well, weirder than normal. Kotetsu sighed, he wasn’t sure what was up with his friend but he knew it was something big if the other Chunin wasn’t talking to him. Izumo always came to him...Well, first he should say, Izumo talked to the others tons of times but it was always after he’d already talked with Kotetsu. At this point, the Chunin would have been okay with Iruka knowing whatever secret or bother Izumo had just so he might get an answer, but the other teen hadn’t a clue either. Everyone was stumped, the adults weren’t prying though far used to letting the boys sort out their own drama with a bit of advice but again, Izumo hadn’t said anything. While the others were content with this, to leave things alone until Izumo spoke up or he got himself into trouble where they could intervene, Kotetsu was not. 

They’d been friends for years, even before they came to be in the academy and go onto be shinobi and it hurt to know that his friend didn’t feel able to come and talk to him. Kotetsu tried not to let the sting of that show when he spoke with his friend, but he knew Izumo was holding something back. Kotetsu was finding it harder and harder not to just scream out at the other teen to just say something! Kotetsu was at least a bit more contained then this, a bit more controlled though it was by the skin of his teeth now. It wasn’t until they were out one afternoon about to part for their own ways home that Kotetsu couldn’t take it anymore.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Izumo smiled as he prepared to head off down the road that lead to his own house.

Kotetsu reached out grabbing his friends shoulder and pulling him abruptly to a stop, Izumo raised a brow at that before smirking. “What? Did you come up with some plan on how to beat the other team at the matches this weekend?”

The fact that they were all participating in a Chunin vs Chunin practice match before taking the Jounin exam was a great excuse to talk, but not the reason for it. Kotetsu shook his head.

“No...Though I’ll think of something.”

Izumo laughed. “You always do.”

“Izumo...What’s-What’s been bothering you?”

Izumo’s jovial mood shifted in a split second, the Chunins features closed off. “I’m fine Ko.”

He wasn’t buying that. “No, you’re not...And you won’t say what’s wrong and it’s just...Bothering me and I know that you always come and tell me things and you’re not. I’m worr-”

“I’m fine,” Izumo stated in a sharper tone, pulling out of Kotetsu’s reach and forcing the other teen's arm to fall back to his side as it slid off of the boy's shoulder.

Kotetsu swallowed stiffly, he knew he wasn’t. “Y-You can talk to me, you know that.”

“Yes, I do. But I’m FINE.” Izumo bit out.

Kotetsu nodded his head dully, already somber at once more being kept from the truth. “Yeah...Sure, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Kotetsu turned and walked away.

Izumo stood there a moment longer, watching his friend leave after their abrupt ending to the conversation. gritting his teeth as his hands clenched into fists, the Chunin stormed off back to his home. He was fine.

********

“So he said he was fine?” Iruka pressed, watching as Kotetsu sat slumped over the table.

Kotetsu made an affirmative noise as he laid there.

Nodding Iruka asked. “Do you want me to try?”

Kotetsu blew out a long stream of air. “No.”

“Why not?”

Kotetsu finally sat up after many minutes of pouting. “No sense in him being mad at the both of us, besides I don’t think he’s going to talk...Whatever’s bothering him.” Kotetsu stopped as he looked away from his friends curious and concerned gaze. “He doesn’t want to tell us.” Kotetsu’s voice was strained, somber almost.

Iruka sighed, shaking his head. “I’m not concerned with him being mad at me Ko, not if it means we might get an answer. It’s been a while now since you first noticed at least.” Iruka reached up to rub the back of his neck. “You’ve always caught onto things with him faster than me, he’s always talked to you, talked to us.” Iruka sighed as he slumped back in his seat. “I guess we just have to wait, it is Izumo, he’ll crack eventually.”

“I’m afraid of what the cracking it will be,” Kotetsu muttered. 

Iruka nodded, he was too.

*********

“So...Kid’s are in a bit of a tizzy. What’s up with that?”

Kakashi snorted. “When are they not?”

Raidou nodded. “Touche. But I meant that they’re all quiet and two out of the three keep giving the third a strange look. I know we said we’d stay out of it but let’s face it they didn’t do too well at those matches.” The fact that they weren’t technically supposed to watch those didn’t come up. Like anyone would believe that they’d just not be there, they were Anbu, they could be anywhere and what’s more, Himiko had approved so...It was totally okay or so they told themselves.

Kakashi shrugged as he looked over towards Himiko as the woman pronounced. “He’s been quieter lately, more than before.”

“I know Iruka’s been pretty down about it, he mentioned wanting to talk to him but he hasn’t.” Kakashi tilted his head as he thought about it. “Said he didn’t want to make things worse.”

“They failed the matches, I don’t think they could get much worse at this point. We all know how much they trained for that and they were doing good.” Raidou pointed out.

“There was no reason for them to fail other than their team dynamic was off because of this,” Shikaku announced civilly. “Which didn’t help things now that they’ve failed.”

“No shit.” Kakashi snorted. “But what do we do about it? Kids aren’t solving this themselves.”

“We don’t know,” Shikaku answered with a sigh as he glanced to his wife, they’d talked about it of course. Pondering over whether or not it was their place now to intervene in a squabble between them all, even if this wasn’t an actual squabble and more of one of them acting odd. “The kid won’t tell them what’s going on and after the matches, I think things are going to get worse before they get better. Might be time for us to step in and figure out what the problem is.”

“Only Izumo knows what the problem is,” Kakashi stated, before muttering. “I’d offer my services but let’s face it, the kid would just glare at me.”

The others snorted, Izumo still hadn’t forgiven him for what he’d done in ‘preparation’ for the test matches. Kakashi still held firm that using the kids own affinity for earth Jutsu’s against him was fair game, even if Izumo didn’t like being buried in dirt when the Anbu used one of his own against the kid. The fact that Kakashi had left the kid there to figure out a way out of the aftermath didn’t help things much.

“Right...How about I go keep the peace then.” Raidou announced before pointing out. “We all know Kotetsu’s closer with you and Izumo might assume you’re badgering him because of Kotetsu’s demands for an answer.”

Shikaku gave a nod, that much was true.

“Be nice,” Himiko warned the Anbu. “It has to be something big if the boy hasn’t even come forward to tell us...Let alone the boys. They’ve been friends for years, gone through a lot together.”

Raidou waved a hand at the woman dismissively. “I’m not going to bury him in dirt until he talks.”

“Okay screw you.” Kakashi pointed a sharp finger. “It worked, it was in preparation for the matches, he just sulked a while.”

Raidou snorted at the other man’s rebuttal. “Sure.”

Kakashi huffed before stating in a sour tone. “You don’t even know any earth Jutsus.”

The Anbu rolled his eyes, he did, but he wasn’t about to go around using them since it wasn’t his specialty. “Right, I’m gonna go hunt me down a Chunin.”

“That should be easy enough.” Himiko chuckled. “You know where he’ll be.”

The Anbu all nodded, after so long together they had the boys schedules down to a science. The only thing that shifted was their missions and guard duty schedules, after that it was all about mood. If they were fighting they had certain places they sought shelter, simple matter of deduction at this point.

“I’ll let you know how it goes.” Hawk gave a wave before disappearing.

“Think he’ll talk?” Kakashi sent a look towards Shikaku now that Raidou was gone.

The older man sighed. “I hope so, but it's up in the air whether or not Izumo’s going to stick to his silence on this.”

“I hope not,” Himiko stated as she shifted in her seat. “It’s been weeks now and we haven’t gotten any closer to this resolving if the boys can’t sort him out and Raidou can’t...Then this is bigger than we thought it was.”

“Give Raidou a chance.” Shikaku smiled at his wife. “He’s always had a way with Izumo.”

She hummed.

********

“So wanna tell me what’s up.”

“WHAT THE HELL!”

“Language.” Hawk replied coolly. “And I’m waiting.”

“Get me down!” Izumo struggled despite the Anbu’s words, he was not doing this. Not talking about this, no matter what the Anbu did...Of course, that was his stance before he wound up bound to a tree branch with the Anbu lazily watching him.

“So I’ve been thinking about it.” Hawk stated simply. “If you won’t talk to the other brats, it has to be something concerning one of them.”

“Damn it, Hawk, what is this crap?” Izumo struggled against the strange binding.

“Watch your language.” The Anbu bit out sharper, he’d already warned the boy a few times now. “As for what ‘that’ is...You’ll figure it out.” Raidou smirked beneath his mask as he watched the boy struggle. “So you’ve been beating around the bush, well all of you have but you especially. What’s up? Why are you so moppy or at least that’s the term Himiko used.” The Anbu shrugged carelessly.

Izumo stopped his struggles, looked down at the Anbu staring up at him and muttered. “You tied me to a tree to interrogate me?”

The Anbu hummed. “So, what’s up?”

Izumo glared and continued to struggle, all the while muttering. “I am going to kill Kotetsu for this.”

Hawk chuckled. “The boys didn’t put me up to this so you can waylay the execution squad.”

Izumo didn’t heed his words as he continued to mutter about the absurdity of this.

Sighing, the Anbu couldn’t help but related. “We have wagers on what this is about...I’d appreciate it if you told me that it was some issue with your boss.”

Izumo barked. “It was something with my boss, let me go.”

Raidou chuckled at the boy's crass reply. “Cute, now I know I’ve lost...Shame.” He continued with a chipper tone. “So long as Wolf loses I’m okay, so...Are you thinking of taking the Jounin exam solo?”

Izumo huffed as he fell still after many attempts to get the cloth-like bindings to release him...Surprisingly they were not made of cloth. And annoyingly so a kunai didn’t work, as he’d managed to fetch one only for it to make a horrible grating noise when he tried to cut the bindings. Great. Anbu’s sucked.

“Why would I do that?” Izumo glared.

Hawk shrugged. “Some people think they’ll fare better if they go in solo rather than starting with a team only to have to ditch them later on in the tournament.”

“Oh.” Izumo hadn’t known that he shook his head. “No, we all agreed to start out with each other.”

“Alright.” Raidou nodded to himself, that was one avenue explored. “Then if not that, what’s the cause? Also, thank you for giving me the opportunity to burst Wolf’s bubble.”

Izumo rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t doing it for you.”

“I know, but it’s still nice. So you going to talk or should I get comfortable?” Hawk waved a hand to the grass he was standing on, well prepared to wait the teen out.

“Why do you care?”

“Okay, do not make me get violent.” Hawk pointed a sharp finger at the petulant kid. “You know why we care, why I care. So drop the act and talk.”

Izumo huffed, twisting his head aside to ignore the Anbu.

Hawk snorted back at him. “Real mature.” The Anbu seated himself on the grass, relaxing in the sun as he stared up at the Chunin who looked more akin to a roasting bird than a Chunin given his position on the large tree branch. Raidou smirked to himself at the comparison, even as he waited for Izumo to finally give up the ghost and say something. 

Izumo twisted his head back around, looking down at the Anbu who was silently staring up at him. He didn’t want to talk about this, it was embarrassing and worse yet he was afraid of how everyone might react. Izumo wasn’t sure he could take that kind of rejection after finding a home with them, a place among these people who he cared for. “Sorry.”

Hawk hummed. “For? Did you murder someone, cause I should probably have been on your call list if that was the issue.”

Izumo smirked. “No...I didn’t kill anyone.” He laughed.

Raidou smirked beneath his mask, finally getting somewhere. “Good. That’s messy and you don’t like paperwork so I’d advise you to keep it that way.”

“I think there’s more than paperwork for that.” The Chunin related simply.

“There is...But that’s the part you’d hate.” Then because he knew that he might finally get an answer, Raidou questioned. “So what’s the deal? Why did I have to track you down and tie you to that tree?”

“Because you’re nosy.”

The Anbu sighed. “You’re a riot, come on...What were you apologizing for and what’s the holdup?”

Izumo bit his lip a moment. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Hmm?”

“That you didn’t care.”

Ah. Okay, made sense. The man waved a dismissive hand at the teen. “Fine-Fine, I’ll forgive you if you tell me what’s up.”

Izumo huffed, sending a wary look at the Anbu before stating in a reserved tone. “I like someone.”

Hawk blinked back at him, silent. “Are you shitting me? That is why I have you tied to a tree right now?”

“Language.” Hawk glared back at him. “It’s embarrassing.”

Hawk snorted. “No, what’s embarrassing is I have to go and announce that’s what this was all about.”

“Don’t!”

Sighing at the boys apparent fear of that, Raidou waved a hand at the teen. “What’s the big deal? So you like someone, frankly, I’d be more worried if you didn’t. I mean you did witness the fiasco that was Iruka that kunoichi from the field assignment office right? Trust me I don’t think you could get worse than that.”

Izumo chuckled, that had been rather horrible. Poor Iruka. “Alright...But this is a bit different.”

“How so?” The Anbu tilted his head. “Wait...You don’t like ‘her’ do you?” The inflection in the man’s voice had Izumo laughing.

“God no!” Izumo smiled.

“Oh good...That would have been horrible.” Hawk shook his head. “Anything other than that and I think we can handle it. What’s the big deal of you liking someone?” The Anbu shrugged. “Just ask them out.”

Izumo’s smile diminished some, turned sour almost. “I can’t.”

“They married? Cause that gets awkward fast kid.”

Izumo snorted, shaking his head. “No.”

“Good.” Raidou nodded, that was one thing he was not prepared to counsel, awkward enough when you heard about it second hand in the Anbu office. “Why can’t you just ask them out?”

“Because.” The boy whined.

“Right...Because. Best reason why I’ve heard all year.” Hawk nodded.

Izumo groaned. “You suck.” The Anbu laughed at him in reply. “Look, I just can’t alright?”

The Anbu shrugged. “Looks to me like those bindings aren’t going anywhere kid, might want to start thinking up a better answer than just because.”

Izumo sent a petulant look at the carefree Anbu. “I’m afraid alright?”

“Of getting rejected.” The Anbu surmised. “Sucks kid, but its better than wondering.”

“Well yeah...But, it’s just that we know each other really well and I’m...”

“You don’t want it to change anything.” Hawk stated. “Been there done that kid, awkward as hell but it’s worth it, wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t given it a shot.”

Izumo crinkled his brow. “Isn’t that a bit different? I mean, I don’t have the whole mask thing to worry about.”

“Kinda says that you should stop bitching and get to asking if you ask me.”

“Language.”

The Anbu hummed. “My situation was different, get that. But if you’re just afraid of rejection or your relationship with that person changing and never acting on it...You’ll regret it, kid. We’re shinobi things change in an instant, what would happen if you lose them and never got the chance to ask?”

Izumo swallowed, that would be horrible, but not as horrible as losing him. “I’ve never done this before.”

“Hence the pouting.”

Izumo glared. “Look kid you’ve gone on a few dates right? Pretty sure Kotetsu mentioned that.”

Izumo flushed. “That...Was almost as bad as Iruka’s.”

“Doubtful, but nice effort.” Hawk laughed. 

“That’s why I said almost.” The boy retaliated with a smirk. “How’d you-” He nodded his head since he couldn’t move his arms that much.

“Ask him?” Raidou hummed. “Well, I went up said we needed to talk...Ignored his snappy comebacks and then when we had a minute to be alone just the two of us I told him I liked him. I didn’t expect anything from him, but I wanted to say my piece because I couldn’t not do that.”

“And then you dated each other.”

Raidou snorted, laughing. “Are you kidding me kid? This is not some fairy tale, he slugged me.”

“Ouch.” Izumo winced. “And this is supposed to help me?”

Hawk chuckled. “It is because after he slugged me he said it was because I’d waited so long.”

Izumo blinked a few times. “Wait...He slugged you because he was mad that you didn’t tell him?”

Hawk nodded. “Yep. We didn’t go on a date for a few months and sure our relationship changed but it wasn’t for the worse kid. If anything he got his jollies from teasing me.”

Izumo sighed. “Are you sure he’s not Anbu...Cause that sounds like something two Anbu would do.”

Hawk pointed a finger at the Chunin. “Don’t be a brat, he’s not Anbu.”

“What is he?”

“I’m not telling you that and you know it.” The Anbu harped. “You lot need to stop asking, I’m not saying who he is and for good reason.”

Izumo smirked. “Cause you don’t want us to meet him.”

“No...Because I don’t want him to meet you.”

Izumo blinked. “That’s the same thing.”

“I assure you it’s not.” Hawk sighed. “Look, don’t worry about my personal life, let’s work on yours huh? Just ask them.”

Izumo sighed, it would be so easy to just do as Hawk said but it wasn’t. “What about everyone else?”

“Are you dating everyone else? No, you’re trying to date someone else so it doesn’t really concern them.”

“It kinda does.” Izumo gave a pinched look.

Hawk blinked back at him. “Spill.” He demanded. “Iruka or Kotetsu because Wolf will give you a shovel talk that even the Hokage would fear.”

Izumo grimaced. “That would be scary...But no.”

Hawk nodded his head, alright. Not all that surprising really. “So tell him, Kotetsu’s level headed kid he’s not going to blow a fuse and as for the rest of us...We won’t treat you any differently. You already know no one cares if you’re gay.”

“Bi.”

“Right, whatever...You get the point.”

Izumo nodded. “Yeah.”

“Good. So, you need to find some way to talk to him about this. Cause he’s worried sick about you, so is Iruka and the others. Time to come clean kid, who knows you might get slugged too.”

Izumo snorted. “I really don’t want Kotetsu to slug me.”

The Anbu shrugged. “Turned out alright for me.”

“Anbu are weird.”

“You’ve known this for a while now, this shouldn’t be news to you.” The Anbu related back to the boy in a droll tone of voice. “Besides, I’m not wrong. It turned out well for me, not right away mind you but it did. We’re happy together and he puts up with the whole mask thing pretty well.”

“He’d kinda have too right?”

“Pretty much.” Raidou nodded. “ I mean I didn’t break that to him for a long-Long-Long while, but yeah, he had to get used to it.”

“Awkward.”

The Anbu chuckled even as he nodded. “Awkward doesn’t even cover it, kid, that was one conversation I should have prepared for.”

Izumo smirked at the man’s response. “Did he slug you again?”

Hawk laughed at the Chunin’s bratty question. “No, and to tell you the truth I’m not sure if that’s because he loves me or because he knew I could stop him.”

Izumo made a pinched face. “Hope it was the love thing.”

“Same.” Hawk tilted his head back a bit more. “So...Gonna speak up?”

Izumo let out a long drawn out sigh, he was not looking forward to this. “You won’t let me down unless I agree.”

“Correct.”

“And you’ll pester me until I do.”

“Also correct.”

“And you’ll let me slug you if this goes bad.” Izumo sent a look to the Anbu.

Hawk chuckled. “With all your little Chunin fury.”

“Mean.” Izumo pouted. 

Hawk got to his feet dusting himself off, before nodding to the Chunin. “Head’s up.”

“Huh?” The Chunin let out a startled yell as he fell from the tree. Groaning as he lay on the grass.

“I did warn you.” Raidou shook his head as he walked closer to the groaning Chunin.

“Mean.” Izumo slowly got to his hands and feet, then his feet altogether when he took the offered hand by Hawk. He glared a moment as he dusted himself off, it didn’t disturb the Anbu any.

“So...Ready to go get slugged?”

Izumo huffed in amusement. “No...And I’m not telling him today.” He pointed a sharp finger at the Anbu as he went onto explain. “He’s got that meeting with the head of guards.”

“Ah.” Hawk nodded. “Yeah...Stressful meeting day isn’t a good day for this conversation.”

“No shit.” Izumo winced when he was smacked upside the head.

“Language.”

“Ow.” The boy's hands came up to cradle the back of his head. 

Hawk ruffled his hair before stepping back, he gave a nod. “Good luck kid, let me know if I need to play pinata.”

Izumo huffed. “Sure.”

The Anbu disappeared leaving the Chunin standing there, sighing the boy muttered. “I should have lied and said it was ‘her’.” Shaking his head, Izumo trailed back towards the heart of the village, he had some stuff to think about.

*********

“So what was the deal?”

Raidou huffed, he’d barely gotten a foot in the door before Kakashi was hounding him. “Nice to see you too.”

Kakashi waved a hand at him. “Don’t care. Answer.”

Himiko chuckled as she placed a cup of tea in front of her husband. “Tea?” She asked the Anbu.

Raidou shook his head. “No, I have to get going soon.” He wanted to share this little story with someone else. He was sure that the other man would find it amusing. “Found out what the issue was though and it only took me tieing the brat upside down in a tree a few hours and hounding and walla got an answer.”

The others snorted.

“Alright, great interrogator you...What’s wrong?” Himiko questioned as she sat next to Shikaku.

“He has a crush.”

Silence.

“I’m sorry...I thought I just heard you say that all of this crap was cause the kid has a crush.”

Raidou nodded. “Yep.”

Kakashi groaned as he let his head fall into his hands as he sat with his elbows on the table. Raidou nodded at the other man, looking to Shikaku and Himiko. “Pretty hard by the sounds of it, not that surprising really.”

“Oh? Suddenly you’re a know it all?” Shikaku snorted. 

“Well, in this instance yes.” 

“How so?” Himiko questioned curiously. “Wait...It’s a boy.”

Raidou chuckled and gave a nod even as he came forward to take a seat, he could be a little late he supposed. “Izumo’s Bi and apparently really freaked out about it. Afraid of how that would be taken by his peers, and by extension us.”

“He knows we don’t care,” Kakashi muttered as he let his head cant up to glare at his comrade.

“True,” Raidou replied. “I told the kid as much, he agreed...But it’s more than just that.” He held everyone’s gazes a moment before stating. “We’re a tad close to the subject matter.”

The group froze.

“Please don’t say he has a crush on Mizuki,” Kakashi stated sourly. “I cannot handle that.”

Raidou laughed even as the couple across from him scowled at Kakashi. “God no...I didn’t even ask that, huh good thing it wasn’t.” He shrugged. “But no, it’s not Mizuki.”

“One of the boys then,” Himiko stated softly looking to her husband.

The man sighed. “Which one is it? This could blow up fast and we might as well be prepared for that.”

Raidou snorted at the man’s dramatics, waving a hand at him before settling his chin in the palm of it. “I don’t think we’ll have that much to worry about.” He glanced to Kakashi. “And yes I already warned him about your penchant for horrifyingly accurate shovel talks but in this instance, I don’t think you’ll need it.”

“Kotetsu,” Kakashi stated in a small voice when he figured out that it wasn’t Iruka who had the other boys fascination.

Raidou nodded.

“Oh...They’re very close.” Himiko frowned. “This-”

“I told him to go for it.”

The group was silent, Raidou ignored that in favor of continuing. “You only live once and who knows it might work out for the kid. A bit better than having the what-if the rest of your life. We all know Kotetsu loves Izumo even if he doesn’t feel the same way, he’s not going to shun him.”

Kakashi hummed. “Yeah, I can’t see him doing that.”

Himiko was a tad more reserved than them but didn’t comment as much. Her husband however stated in a no-nonsense tone.

“When’s he talking to him? We might need to give them both some space.”

“Not today...As Izumo stated Kotetsu’s got that meeting with the head of guards and he’s not that stupid as to have that conversation today.”

The others chuckled at that.

“So tomorrow?” Kakashi leveraged.

Raidou shrugged as he got up from his chair, prepared to leave. “Don’t know, kid knows I’ll push so I’d say give him a few days and if we don’t see a flustered Kotetsu I’ll tie him up again.” He gave a wave and disappeared.

Himiko sighed. “Why is it you all think tieing the boys up is a means to getting answers?”

“Because it is,” Kakashi stated flatly. “They can’t run when we do that.”

She glared. “They can’t outrun you.”

Shikaku chuckled as Kakashi went back and forth with his wife on the merits of tieing up Chunin when having important talks with them. Shikaku shook his head even as he wondered how Kotetsu would take the news of his best friend liking him like that. He supposed that Raidou was right, Kotetsu would come running to them if he took the news poorly. Shikaku hoped that it wouldn’t come to that, he’d hate to see the boy's relationship become strained by it all. 

********

Izumo lasted three days before Hawk sequestered him, he huffed and agreed under pressure to finally bring it up. He hated the Anbu all the more for following through with his threat of making sure he didn’t wuss out. Then again, the Chunin reminded himself that if this blew up he got to deck an Anbu. Small compensation though in the face of losing your best friend.

Izumo had asked Kotetsu if he was free in the afternoon the following day, he knew they didn’t have guard duty but there was always the chance that the other Chunin had other plans in order. He didn’t. Great.

In an effort to keep things under control or at least from prying eyes, Izumo lead his friend down a well-worn path they knew. Towards a small outlet where they’d skipped stones.

“Why are we going here?” Kotetsu gave a small laugh. “I think we can do better than skipping rocks by now Izumo.”

Izumo gave a huff. “Well, I’d hope so...We’re Chunin after all.” He shot his friend a smile, even if it was strained.

Kotetsu nodded, wondering for the hundredth time what was up with his friend. “So why are we out here then?” They came upon the small outlet, a waterway with pebbles laying all around it. Izumo drew him over to the larger rocks that they always perched themselves on, climbing up onto one of the tall ones before dangling his legs over the edge. Kotetsu followed after him, sitting a few feet away.

“You asked what was wrong.”

Oh, thank god. “Yeah.” Kotetsu bobbed his head trying not to sound too eager despite being too eager.

“I-Hawk tied me to a tree.”

Kotetsu blinked. “What?” That made no sense. “Why? Wait, was that what was bothering you?” Kotetsu laughed. “He’s done that hundreds of times to us by now Izumo.”

The boy huffed. “No.” He shook his head. “He did that so I’d tell him what was wrong...Which was mean.”

Kotetsu smiled. “Sounds mean, but did you talk to him?”

Izumo nodded. “I was under duress by Anbu, I don’t think there’s anyone who wouldn’t cave to that.”

Kotetsu chuckled. “Uh-Huh. You know he wasn’t torturing you right? I mean we get it light compared to most when they come across a perturbed Anbu.”

Izumo sighed, nodded his head and muttered. “Then again, we deal with them more often then those people so I think it evens out.” Izumo glanced towards his friend with a wry smirk.

“So...You talked to him.” Kotetsu rounded the conversation back instead of allowing their tangent to get the better of them.

“Yeah.” Izumo looked down into the water. “He said that I was being stupid.”

“He says that to you a lot, but what was the stupid this time?”

Izumo huffed. “Mean.” He ignored his friend laughing at him, gathering what courage he had, Izumo muttered. “I like someone.”

Kotetsu blinked a few times, that was not what he had expected to hear. “Y-You like someone?”

Izumo nodded.

“Okay...Is that what was bothering you? Izumo, come on you could have tol-”

Izumo swallowed stiffly before managing to find his voice and interrupt his friend. “I couldn’t! I didn’t know how and I was scared...” Izumo bit his lip.

“Scared.” Kotetsu mirrored with a smaller voice. “Why? Izumo you know I wouldn’t care who you like, well, I guess that’s not true...It’s not Beni is it?”

Izumo lifted his head a bit to scowl at his friend. “Ew.”

Kotetsu smiled, glad to have gotten a reaction. “Alright...So why were you worried about me hearing you like someone?”

Izumo held his friends gaze a moment, barely there, a weak thing as he turned his head away. His voice trembled a bit, he coughed to try and make it stable but it didn’t work all that well given how his words wavered. “I-I like you.” Izumo’s hands tensed, clenching the fabric of his pants as he waited to hear how Kotetsu would take the news.

Kotetsu’s eyes widened upon hearing that, he was surprised, that was for sure. Izumo had never really shown any inclination towards liking him in particular but then again...Why would he? It wasn’t as if Kotetsu was the type to go around boasting about his own relationships, let alone who he liked and disliked. Taking a breath, Kotetsu nodded. “Okay.” It was simple, a bare response to be sure but Kotetsu was a bit stumped on how to reply to such a revelation. 

Izumo grimaced, that didn’t really sound good or bad...It just was. “I-I didn’t want to tell you but Hawk was really-Really adamant that I tell you and he threatened to tie me up again...He said it was better to just say something even though I’m pretty sure that it wasn’t a good idea and I don’t want this to change us-Or you, or me...I mean we’re friends and I don’t want to change that just because I feel things that you obviously don’t whi-” Izumo blinked in quick succession, surprised when he found Kotetsu’s arm had wrapped around him and pulled him into his side.

“You’re an idiot you know that Izumo?”

Izumo nodded, unsure how to go about questioning that.

“You’re my best friend Izumo...Nothing could change that.”

Oh. That-That was good. Izumo sagged in relief.

Kotetsu smiled as he held Izumo against himself, he sighed when he felt the other Chunin relax into him. “You know Iruka’s going to be horrible when he hears about this.”

Izumo snorted. “Mizuki will be worse.”

“Lots worse.” Kotetsu joked before adding. “I’m glad you told me.”

Izumo canted his head back to stare in shock. “Really?”

Kotetsu nodded. “I was worried...And you wouldn’t talk to me, you always talk to me.”

“Yeah...I know, but I-This was big Ko and I was-”

“Afraid I’d tell you that I hated you?” Kotetsu snorted. “You’re stupid.”

Izumo huffed. “Mean.”

Kotetsu laughed as he shoved Izumo off of him. “Well, you are.” He smiled. “Izumo there’s nothing that could make me hate you, well...Unless of course, you decided that you liked Beni.”

Izumo rolled his eyes. “Hawk thought I liked the girl from the field assignment office that-”

“Oh god, Ew!” Kotetsu shook his head. 

Izumo laughed. “That’s what I said!”

Kotetsu and Izumo smiled at each other.

“So...At least I don’t have to deal with you liking Mizuki, Beni, or ‘her’.”

Izumo nodded. “Yeah. Can you handle me liking you?”

Kotetsu hummed. “Pretty sure, I mean...You’re a little rough around the edges, but you’re not bad looking. That girl from Lightning liked you and she had questionable ta-S-.”

Izumo smirked as Kotetsu yelped upon being shoved off the rock into the creek below. 

“SHIT!” Kotetsu got to his feet at once, shaking his wet head and throwing water everywhere as it flung outward from his hair. “Jesus that’s cold!” He quickly climbed to stand on top of the water, glowering up to Izumo who was laughing. “I thought you liked me!”

Izumo bent over his knees laughing. “I like you better like that.” He pointed.

“MEAN!”

Izumo shook his head in laughter before calling out to his friend. “Hey, if I tell Hawk you rejected me I get to punch him.”

Kotetsu blinked a few times. “What?”

“That’ll make up for the water right?” Izumo smiled.

Kotetsu huffed. “Only if I get to watch.”

“You have to scowl, make him think it’s real.” 

Kotetsu shrugged, I’m pretty sure I can scowl at you Izumo. You just threw me in ice-cold water.” He proved this by scowling at his friend.

Izumo pointed. “Yeah, just like that.”

Rolling his eyes, Kotetsu jumped back up onto the rock beside his friend. “What do you mean by rejected?”

Izumo hummed. “If you freaked out or...Like said you were angry or something.” Izumo’s voice went soft. It was easy to fill in the blanks.

Kotetsu crouched down, tilting his head to the side. “You know that would never happen.”

Izumo shrugged. “I didn’t...I mean, you could have gotten mad.”

Kotetsu watched Izumo for a moment, thinking about what his friend said. Did Izumo really think he could ever do that to him? Reject him so coldly as to not be his friend anymore just because the other Chunin liked him? Sighing, Kotetsu muttered. “It hurts more to know that you think I’d do that than to know that you like me.”

Izumo’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

Kotetsu nodded. “Like I said...You’re stupid.”

“You said that already.”

“Well, it’s obviously not sticking.”

Huffing, Izumo said. “Can we agree that I’m stupid, you don’t hate me...I still like you cause I’m an idiot, and then go watch me punch Hawk?”

Kotetsu thought about it a minute. “Yeah...But I know how to make this better, more believable.”

“Huh?”

“For Hawk...So he thinks that things went bad.”

“Oh.” Izumo smiled. “Sure, how?” The teen yelped as he was shoved off the rock into the water.

Kotetsu smiled as he watched Izumo sputter as he came up. “SHIT!”

“Yeah, pretty cold huh?”

********

Kotetsu had quickly gone home to change, ensuring that he appeared to be dry for the little farce. Izumo had to remain wet, Kotetsu made sure that the teen stayed that way by a well-timed water jutsu in the middle of the street, the scream his friend had issued was amazing. 

“Just want to make sure you look pissed enough.”

“I really hate you.”

“No, you love me.” Kotetsu taunted back.

“UGH.” Izumo disappeared in a pop of smoke even as Kotetsu laughed uproariously. Hawk had been right, people were assholes when they knew you loved them.

********

Izumo wasn’t very good with keeping a straight face, he could...If it really-Really mattered but knowing that he was going in only to lie to an Anbu was not a good enough cause for a straight face. Luckily, being sopping went and ‘angry’ had a way of countering his ‘I’m lying to you face.’ Probably why he was able to storm into Himiko’s house without a single word to anyone even when Raccoon admonished him for nearly breaking the door. Izumo held firm, glaring at Hawk. 

“Outside, and you better look like someone else cause I’m breaking that damn mask.” Izumo twisted about sharply and stormed back outside. Smirking to himself as he went. 

“Shit,” Hawk muttered.

Shikaku and Himiko sighed even as Kakashi waved a hand. “You owe the kid.” He followed suit with everyone. Raidou begrudgingly doing as the boy requested if only to spare himself the task of explaining out his mask got broken. Appearing as the same man that he’d always copied when in front of the boys when he was sans mask, Raidou held up his hands at the soaking wet boy.

“What happened?”

Izumo shook his head, water flying from his head as he did so. Before he could even try to lie to the man’s face a pop of someone's arrival had the group turning to see Iruka.

“Damn is Ko pissed, what did you do?” Iruka came forward only for Wolf to yank him back to his side.

“Not now Iruka.”

“Huh?” The Chunin glanced to the Anbu and then out towards his friend only to see Hawk in his fake face. “Umm...What’s going on?”

Izumo glared hostile at the Anbu, Hawk sighed lowering his arms he nodded, he deserved this. “Alright kid, I keep my word.”

Izumo stalked forward, prepared to do just that, even if he was fighting all temptation to smile. Balling his hand into a fist, the Chunin swung back and with such force drove his fist into the side of the Anbu’s ‘Face’. Hawk stumbled a bit but stayed on his footing, even as Izumo fell to his knees at the force of his own blow.

Himiko sighed, stepping away from them when the boy's body shook. Crossing the distance she knelt down and wrapped her arms around the boy. “Izumo.” He softly stated the boy's name.

Raidou rubbed his jaw, the kid had a good right hook on him. Shame the kid wouldn’t get the pleasure of watching him bruise. He glanced towards the other two nin’s and then to Iruka. “What did Kotetsu say to you?”

Iruka shook his head. “Nothing, well...” He looked towards Izumo. “Other than he’d doused Izumo in a water jutsu in the middle of town and was pissed to hell and back. He was looking for him.”

“Language.” Kakashi sighed tiredly all while giving Raidou a piercing look just with his eyes.

Raidou shook his head, he had no words to counter how this had happened, It had shocked him just as it had the others. Kotetsu was level headed, part of the reason he’d gotten the promotion to team captain when it came to the boys. To find out he lashed out this poorly at his best friend all because he revealed how he felt. Raidou was going to have a lot of apologizing to do, he turned when he heard Himiko utter.

“What the-”

They all looked to find Izumo shaking his head, laughing. It wasn’t the hollow kind of laughter one would make when too upset to cry, it was actually genuine laughter. Raidou frowned. “What...Why are you laughing?”

“Cause that was hilarious!”

All eyes went towards the woods where seemingly out of nowhere the Chunin appeared. Genjitsu. They scowled at the boy using the skill against them, even as Kotetsu sent a look towards Iruka. “Thanks.”

The boy nodded only to wince when he was smacked upside the head. “I don’t know what you did but I don’t like it.”

“Ow.” Iruka pouted as he rubbed his head.

“What is going on?!” Raidou shouted, glaring from Kotetsu to Izumo.

“I got to hit you.” Izumo smiled.

“And I got to watch.” Kotetsu smiled with a nod.

“WHY?! I thought-”

“They were lying,” Raccoon muttered as he stepped forward to glower at Izumo before stating coldly to Kotetsu. “Really?”

The boy shrugged. “We were worried.”

“Yeah...But it was pretty neat to see him punch Hawk.” The teen laughed as he came forward to give his friend a hand up. Smiling at Himiko even as the scowling woman stood.

“Wait...So you two are alright?” Hawk glanced back and forth between the pair.

Kotetsu wrapped an arm around Izumo to pull him in close only to wince and shove him aside. “Ugh, you’re still wet.”

Izumo laughed. “You’re the one who did it.”

Shaking his head Kotetsu informed the Anbu. “Why would I have a problem with him?”

Hawk glared at Izumo, all at once fearing the boy had put together some ruse instead of actually telling the boy how he felt. “Izumo.”

The boy smiled. “You were right. They’re really assholes when they know.”

“LANGUAGE!”

Izumo winced when all the adults shouted at him, he shrugged with a weary smile. “Well, it’s true.”

Hawk sighed, shaking his head. “Kid, you did all of this just to punch me?”

Izumo nodded. Hawk looked to Kotetsu. “And you were in on it from the get-go?”

“I did douse him with a water jutsu and he did scream like a girl in the middle of town.”

“Hey!”

Kotetsu smiled at his friend, before nodding to the Anbu. “So yeah.”

Hawk glared before looking towards Iruka, the boy smiled, reaching back to rub his neck. “Didn’t know what it was about but I’m kinda filling in the blanks now...He just told me to play along.” The teen winced when he was smacked upside the head again by Wolf. “Ow.”

“Don’t do that again!” The Anbu barked.

Hawk glared back at the other two now that Kakashi had Iruka cowed. Pointing between the two of them, he uttered. “Run. Run far and run fast cause you will not like what happens when I catch you.”

Izumo swallowed, looking to Kotetsu. The boy smiled. “Hawk-”

“One.”

The boys froze.

“Two.”

“Shit.” Kotetsu made a break for it, Izumo right behind him as he shouted at Kotetsu. “This is what I get for loving you.”

“Just run stupid!”

The others side as Hawk disappeared, already hunting the boys. Iruka snickered quickly ducking and moving away from Wolf. He held up his hands. “I had no part other than saying he was pissed.”

Wolf glared. “You still helped.”

Iruka shrugged. “Yeah, but at least we know what was wrong with Izumo.” He muttered his eyes going towards the woods. “Can’t imagine how that conversation went.”

Sighing Himiko headed for the house once more, her husband right behind her saying. “Won’t matter much, Hawk’s going to kill them.”

Wolf snorted as he made to follow, waving a hand at Iruka for the Chunin to come with.

“Are you still mad?” The Chunin leveraged cautiously.

“You’re not currently running from an Anbu.”

“So I’m safe.”

Wolf hummed. “Seems so.”

Smirking Iruka walked forward bumping shoulders with the man. “Think of how much fun it’ll be to tease Izumo, that makes up for me helping them right?”

The Anbu sighed, the boy had a point. “Fine.”

*********

“I take back what I said.” Kotetsu grimaced as he struggled. “I hate you.”

“No you don’t, you love me.” Izumo laughed as Kotetsu tried to kick him even though there was too much of a gap for him to manage it.

“Alright, love birds.” Hawk spat in irritation. “No talking for the duration of your sentences.”

The boys huffed from where they were tied up.

“How long are we in for?” Kotetsu muttered tiredly as he shifted inside the restraints holding him to the tree branch.

“However long it takes Izumo not to like you.”

Kotetsu shot a look towards his friend, Izumo sighed. “He’ll know if I’m lying Ko.” That was a fact that they both knew well, probably why Hawk had chosen Izumo to be the counterweight of their being released.

“Damn it.”

“Language,” Raidou smirked beneath his mask, the sting in his cheek was nothing compared to the joy of doing this. “So, Kotetsu...Who do you like?”

“Izumo, stop loving me right now!”

  
  



End file.
